Inuyasha: Shourai o Togizoushi
by Bun-chan529
Summary: AUish Inuyasha, a modern hanyou teenager, discovers a hidden well on shrine grounds. In this well is a girl from the past. Now she and Inuyasha must battle to save the modern era.
1. The Girl Who Overcame Time And

Because 'Chronicals of the Lost' was such a horrible story, I deleted it in favor of starting this new story which, you will notice, is done in the third person and contains no original characters.

I hope you guys like this story better than the last one. Even I'll admit that it sucked…

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha… He belongs to Kagome and she belongs to Rumiko Takahashi…

* * *

Inuyasha stared blankly at his bedroom ceiling. Boredom was evident in the fifteen-year-olds glazed look and the simple fact that he was staring at his ceiling in the first place.

"So bored…," he muttered.

He flipped over on his stomach and debated on whether or not he should get up and find something to do.

Despite society's general acceptance of youkai and ningen sharing the world, they shunned hanyou and, because of such, Inuyasha had no friends. It seemed like an unwritten rule that, although they could live side by side, ningen and youkai could not marry. Inuyasha's father, Kyuuhanshu of the western lands, and his mother, the daughter of a very wealthy and ancient family and practically a princess, had ignored society's rules and fallen in love. Unfortunately, someone had assassinated Inuyasha's father the night that Inuyasha was born, and his mother killed only a few years later.

Shaking away his current train of thought, Inuyasha decided to explore the family's private shrine again. Why a Hanshu would have a Shinto shrine on his lands was beyond Inuyasha.

The shrine, Higurashi was its name, had origins dating back to the Sengokujidai and always seemed to exude a peaceful aura. Wandering over to the Goshinboku, the ancient 'God Tree' that was even older than the shrine itself, Inuyasha looked up at a small scar on the trunk that seemed to glint in the sunlight. It was the tip of an arrow shot by a miko who had been trying to kill an evil youkai. Inuyasha sighed and turned to look away from the city. He blinked as he saw a small shack that he could have sworn was definitely _not_ there the other day.

'Oh well,' Inuyasha thought with another sigh, 'It's not like I really have anything better to do.'

He pulled open the door and looked into the gloom, his acute eyes immediately adjusting to the lack of light. There in the middle of the room, amongst several storage boxes, was an old covered well with spell scrolls randomly stuck all over it. There seemed to be no lingering power in the scrolls, if there had been any power in the first place. Inuyasha slowly started to pull the cover off when his ears twitched at a small scratching noise. He looked around for a moment before dismissing it as nothing of importance.

As he was about to peer inside a sudden yowl caused him to start and whirl around. Inuyasha looked around wildly before his gaze came to rest on an impossibly fat neko sitting right in front of him.

"Baka neko," Inuyasha muttered sourly.

Still slightly flustered from his being startled by a mere animal, he peered into the well just as a bright blue flash erupted. He jumped back until the light faded and cautiously looked in again.

The first thing Inuyasha noticed was a pair of startlingly blue eyes staring back at him from the bottom of the well. The second thing was that the eyes belonged to a girl about his age.

"H-hello?" she called, "Can you help me out of here? Onegaishimasu, help me!"

Inuyasha looked around quickly, "Chotto, I have to find something to pull you out with."

The girl started panicking, "Just get me out now! I don't care how; I just want to get out!"

Inuyasha hesitated, and then started climbing down. He reached the panicked girl in no time, and began trying to coax her out of the corner she had huddled herself in.

"Come on, climb on my back and I'll carry you out."

The girl turned her frightened gaze to Inuyasha's own golden eyes, and then it slowly drifted up towards his ears. Inuyasha winced, waiting for the inevitable screams of horror, when he suddenly felt a soft touch on his left ear that caused it automatically to twitch away. He blinked as the girl giggled and slowly calmed down. Inuyasha turned and crouched lower to allow her onto his back.

"Hold on," he muttered before leaping out of the well.

* * *

Japanese terms used: (in order of use)

Youkai: Demon; Apparition; Specter. (Used in this context as 'Demon')

Ningen: Human Being; Man; Person.

Hanyou: Half Demon, Han-half and You-beginning of 'Youkai'.

Kyuuhanshu: Former Feudal Lord.

Hanshu: Feudal Lord.

Sengokujidai: The age of civil war. (Referring to the period of time in Japanese history)

Miko: Sorceress; Shrine Maiden. (Used in this context as 'Shrine Maiden')

Neko: Cat.

Baka: Stupid; Foolish.

Onegaishimasu: Please. (hon.)

Chotto: Wait a minute.

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Well, there's the first chapter. Tell me what you think, and, if you like it, tell other people about it!

Much love,

Miji


	2. The Boy Who Was Just Overcome

Welcome to chapter two, everyone. I'm just going to respond to reviews, so if you don't feel like reading this, don't bother.

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_Ruthie and Kim: Glad you guys like this story better than the other one. It really is much more gripping, isn't it?_

_Tesshi-chan: I'm glad you like my fanfics too, and I suppose since you're my beta and give me comments on my story BEFORE I post the chapters that excludes you from me needing you to give me constructive criticism…

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_

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. I'm not quite THAT insane…yet.

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Last Time: _Inuyasha turned and crouched lower to allow her onto his back._

"_Hold on," he muttered before leaping out of the well.

* * *

_

This Time:

Once he and the girl were back on solid ground, Inuyasha let go of her legs; unfortunately, the girl didn't release her death grip on his neck and remained exactly where she was.

Inuyasha blushed and cleared his throat, "Could you get off...?"

Immediately the girl dropped from his back and started bowing and apologizing profusely. Inuyasha stared for several moments before becoming frustrated with her incomprehensible babblings of what he assumed to be apologies.

"Shut up!"

The girl froze in mid-bow, her bangs covering her eyes and most of the rest of her expression as well.

"You...," she growled, "You arrogant asshole!" she suddenly lifted her head to reveal blazing anger, "I was thanking you and you still insult me? Now I regret you having been the one to help me out of that stupid cursed well," turning away as if to leave, the girl concluded her tirade, "I'll be going back to my village now."

"I'm afraid that's impossible," Inuyasha muttered, pride still sore from the girl's lecture.

She turned fearful eyes towards him, and for some reason that hurt him more than any yelling she had done.

"I…You're not…_kidnapping_ me, are you?" she stuttered.

"No!" he looked insulted, "I am _not_ kidnapping you! There _are_ no villages anymore; this is Tokyo in the twentieth century. As far as I know, I should be returning you to your nice, padded cell about now."

"No…It can't be…Okaasan…Souta…Ojiisan," her eyes filled with tears as she continued to mutter the names of people and places long gone.

Seeing her tears, Inuyasha began panicking.

"Oi! You, s-stop crying!"

"My name isn't 'You', its Kagome! And what am I supposed to do? Laugh? Rejoice in the fact that everything and everyone I know is now gone and dead?"

"I wasn't saying that, stupid! I just can't stand crying!"

"My name isn't 'Stupid' either! It's Kagome! Ka Go Me!"

By this time, a full-on screaming match was beginning in the courtyard of the formerly peaceful shrine.

"Fine then, _Ka Go Me_," Inuyasha mocked, "Would you just listen for a minute?"

"Why? So you can mock my pain some more, jerk?" Kagome yelled.

Inuyasha looked truly remorseful this time. He and Kagome continued staring at each other for several moments before Inuyasha turned away.

As he began walking back to his house he called back, "You can stay at my place, for now."

Kagome glanced one last time at the well house before following.

An old woman greeted them at the door. She bowed at Inuyasha received a 'Keh' in return.

"Must you be so rude, Inuyasha?" the old woman scolded.

"Aren't we forgetting who works for whom here, Baba?" he shot back.

Suddenly her attention turned to Kagome.

"And who might this be?"

"My name is Kagome, Obaasan," Kagome mumbled respectfully as she bowed.

The old woman smiled kindly at her.

"Call me Kaede."

Kagome blinked, and then smiled back at the woman.

"Very well, Kaede-obaasan," she said.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes at the two and pushed his way inside the house. After a few moments, Kaede and Kagome followed suit. Kagome staring wide-eyed at everything as Inuyasha led them to a spare room. The trio was silent until they stopped at a door near the end of the hallway.

Inuyasha cleared his throat.

"This can be your room until we find a way to get you home," he announced before turning and pointing to the door across the hall, "That is my room," he pointed to the room and the end of the hall, "and that is Kaede's room. Just tell us if you need anything or if anything goes wrong."

And with that, Inuyasha turned and walked into his room, leaving the women to their own devices until he decided to stop pouting. There was an awkward silence for a few moments.

"Kagome…," Kaede began.

"Yes, Kaede-obaasan?"

"I wish to speak to you."

"A-alright," Kagome said before leading the older woman into her new room.

Kaede settled herself into a chair by one of the windows and gestured for Kagome to do the same. Kagome hesitantly sat, and then nervously looked around the room.

Kaede cleared her throat.

"Kagome, I wish to know how it is you came to be here," she said.

"I…," Kagome looked thoughtful for a moment, "I had been walking in the forest today…looking for my otouto, Souta. That large tree in the courtyard…I remember passing it on my way to the well. He always did like playing near it, no matter what tales Ojiisan told us. In the clearing, I saw him standing there, just staring at the well. I ran over and then…this…_thing_ grabbed me and pulled me down into the well. It looked like a centipede with the torso of a woman. My hands started glowing when I tried to push her away and…she disappeared. Almost as if, she had dissolved into dust.

"I must have hit my head in the well, because when I came to, the first thing I saw was that man, Inuyasha, looking down at me," Kagome looked pleadingly at Kaede, "Onegaishimasu, Kaede-obaasan, help me find my way home again. I just want to see my family, and Okaasan will be so worried now."

Kaede put a comforting hand on her shoulder as she cried for her loss.

"It will be alright, child. Inuyasha and I will find a way to get you home."

* * *

Japanese Words Used: (in order of use)

Okaasan: Mother. (Hon)

Ojiisan: Grandfather.

Baba: Old Woman; Hag.

Obaasan: Grandmother; Female Senior Citizen.

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The end of chapter two! I would like it if you reviewed. I don't even mind threats, as long as they're in good humor… Once again, if you like it, tell others about it!

Much love,

Miji


	3. Seekers Of The Sacred Jewel

Um…WOO!

I dunno; I'm just…overtired, overworked, and under motivated. With everything in my life, basically. Add on the fact that I was supposed to have this chapter up several days ago…

About that, I really have no excuse. I just didn't have the time, especially since I kept getting computer time taken away… and every time I got on, I forgot that I was supposed to be finishing this chapter…

Whatever.

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Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, and, frankly, I'm too goddamn tired to give a shit about it. However, I would like to thank my dear friend, Tsuki, for Beta-ing this and every other chapter! Without her, this story would make a lot less sense.

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Last Time: _Kaede put a comforting hand on her shoulder as she cried for her loss._

"_It will be alright, child. Inuyasha and I will find a way to get you home."

* * *

_

This Time:

Inuyasha had been pouting in his room for no less than three and a half hours now.

'Who does that stupid girl think she is?' he fumed to himself, 'I save her scrawny ass from dying in that damnable well and she yells at me!'

By now, Inuyasha had once again worked himself up into a state that, in small children, would be known as none other than…

A hissy fit.

Here was the youngest son of the Kyuuhanshu of the Western Lands, and he was on the verge of having a hissy fit. Or, in actuality, _another_ hissy fit. He had mentally raged about everything from Kaede being so nice to the girl, to his asshole of an older brother, to the rising costs of _everything_, to the fact that the girl smelled so damn _nice_.

'Wait…' Inuyasha halted himself mid-thought, 'where in the hell did _that_ come from?'

And, for about the dozenth time since this topic had come into his mind, Inuyasha blushed.

* * *

Kagome stared uneasily at her reflection in the full-length mirror Kaede had pushed her in front of now. She knew that the style of clothing would have most likely changed over the past five hundred years or so, but this was just ridiculous.

"Kaede-obaasan…," Kagome begged, "can I please wear something else? This skirt just isn't…well _decent_."

And it was true, for the skirt didn't even fall to mid-thigh, no matter how hard Kagome tried to pull it down.

"It will be _fine_, Kagome. This is only temporary until we have the time to buy you new clothing," Kaede reassured. Again.

Kagome once again eyed her reflection dubiously.

"I hope you're right, Kaede-obaasan, because I don't think this skirt is long enough for me to keep my decency for long."

* * *

Dinner was a quiet affair; with Inuyasha still too busy sulking and Kagome too busy marveling to make much in the way of 'dinner conversation'. The odd trio seemed content to simply eat in silence, brooding or otherwise. Once Kaede had wandered off to wash the dishes and Inuyasha had returned to his room for more brooding, angry thoughts, Kagome made a spontaneous decision to explore the _outside_ of her host's property.

She leisurely made her way towards the street, but decided against going any further and turned back towards the shrine. Reaching the giant tree she had spotted earlier, the Goshinboku according to its nameplate, Kagome wondered at the name of the peaceful place. The answer came to her in the form of a rather large engraved stone near the public entrance.

"Higurashi…?"

* * *

The power…it had returned, she could feel it. Soon…very soon, her body would be restored…

"Once I have it… The Shikon no Tama…"

A pair of eyes flashed red for a moment in the depths of the well, as the woman settled in to wait again. She had waited five hundred years; she could wait another hour…

* * *

Kagome stared again in shock at the name written in the stone slab. It seemed impossible, but…

"This is…my family name…," Kagome whispered brokenly, "Their shrine, then…?"

She looked around sadly, not seeing the timeworn shrine, but a small, cozy hut where her family was waiting for her; probably scared to death. Kagome jumped slightly as something furry brushed past her leg. She looked down, half expecting to see some strange monster, but only saw what had to be the fattest neko ever. Giggling more from nerves than actual amusement, Kagome mentally berated herself for being so easily frightened.

"Neko…just you, neko," she said, trying to calm her shot nerves.

Gathering the lump into her arms with surprisingly little difficulty, Kagome continued walking, finding herself being drawn back to the well she had come out of earlier that afternoon.

The door had remained open since that afternoon, and some of the remaining light filtered into the small shed. Kagome slowly crept down the creaky stairs, still awkwardly holding the flabby excuse of a neko. Suddenly, when she reached the bottom step, the animal launched itself out of her arms with surprising strength for one so fat. Kagome desperately tried to regain her balance to no avail, and fell to the bottom of the shed, hitting her head on the side of the well.

Inside the well, the eyes flashed red once more. The rattling of bones was the only warning before the skeleton of a centipede woman flew out of the well. Chunks of flesh slowly reappeared on the figure, making it seem even more unreal than it was.

"You girl… you have it, don't you?" the centipede woman hissed, "Give it to me! I must have it…Shikon no Tama!"

* * *

So… There she is… Mistress Centipede herself. I feel like such a…a…_betrayer_. I was actually finishing up this chapter while wearing a -gasp- Samurai Champloo shirt! Anyways, please review and tell me what you thought! And others, if you think its good…

Love,

Miji


	4. Down The Rabbit Hole

So sorry to everyone who was waiting for this update…I was supposed to have it up two weeks ago!

I'll try and keep more regular updates from now on.

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Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, no matter how much I want Sesshoumaru for Chanukkah..

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Last Time: "_You girl… you have it, don't you?" the centipede woman hissed, "Give it to me! I must have it…Shikon no Tama!"

* * *

_

This Time:

Kagome didn't stir as the creature slowly dragged her half-formed body closer. The closer she got, the faster it regenerated until a whole centipede woman towered over the unconscious girl. Large fangs grew until they no longer fit into her mouth, and she leaned down for the strike.

"Oi, wench, Are you out here? Kaede-baba's been looking for you!"

Gold eyes met red and held for a moment, as Inuyasha tried to comprehend what exactly was going on.

Kagome was unconscious next to the well.

That baka neko was cowering in the furthest corner from everything.

A rather large centipede youkai was towering over Kagome, looking about ready to take a bite out of her.

The youkai narrowed her eyes at him.

"You…," she hissed, scrutinizing him, "You are the son of the Hanshu of the Western lands? The Inu no Taishou?"

"What about my oyaji?" Inuyasha snapped, "He's dead now, so what does it matter?"

Her eyes widened.

"I see… So the Inu no Taishou is dead, is he?" the centipede woman grinned maliciously now, "Well, son of the Inu no Taishou, I am known as Mistress Centipede."

"I don't care what you're called, because you'll be dead for trespassing in a minute!"

"Oh… Such a temper you have," Mistress Centipede turned back to Kagome, "I do hope that you can wait a moment. This girl has something that belongs to me…"

Before Inuyasha could react, the woman leaned down and bit into Kagome's left side. The girl was tossed into the air, and something small and round went flying in the other direction. Inuyasha lunged for Kagome at the same time Mistress Centipede lunged for the object.

Barely managing to catch the girl, Inuyasha turned back just to see Mistress Centipede swallow what she had been after. The transformation that followed could be described as nothing less than gruesome. Flesh peeled off of the formerly beautiful torso of a woman, leaving disgusting pale, almost purple flesh and a ghastly face. The centipede part of her body also expanded, filling the well house almost completely. Once the transformation was finished, the hideous youkai lunged again at Kagome.

Stumbling slightly with the added weight of the girl in his arms, Inuyasha dodged the strike and leapt out of the confining well house. If they stayed in there any longer, it would be their death sentence. Passing the Goshinboku, the tail of Mistress Centipede came out of nowhere, seemingly, and bound Inuyasha and Kagome immobile to the tree. Meanwhile, Kagome was beginning to wake.

"What…?" she winced at the constricting feeling and started panicking, "What's happening?"

Her head whipped to the side and she let out a terrified little shriek upon seeing the new Mistress Centipede. The youkai took her time making a closer scrutiny of the pair she had trapped.

"So… You are merely hanyou…," she chuckled lowly, "Pathetic. I should not be wasting my time with such…_vermin_," her gaze then turned to Kagome, who whimpered, "How interesting… A miko and a hanyou? What would your parents say, girl, if they knew you had become a hanyou's whore?"

Mistress Centipede laughed to herself again, delighted by her own dark humor. Inuyasha glared and growled. Who did this youkai think she was, insulting them like this? So intent were Inuyasha and Mistress Centipede on their own thoughts that neither noticed Kagome's unbound hand glowing slightly blue.

"Don't you…touch me!"

A momentary flash of blue light blinded Inuyasha, and when Mistress Centipede screeched in pain, it seemed to come from a distance. When he opened his eyes again, all of the centipede woman's arms were scattered around the courtyard. Kagome looked stunned, staring mutely at her hands. Inuyasha rose up and cracked his knuckles.

"Normally, I wouldn't be allowed to kill you," he said to the stunned youkai, "But since you've attacked me on my own property and would be considered a dangerous youkai, I can kill you right now."

Flashes of yellow tinged energy trailed from his fingertips as Inuyasha drew back for the strike. Mistress Centipede lunged forward for one last futile strike as Inuyasha launched forwards as well. Claws tore through flesh and the centipede woman lay in pieces.

He turned back to Kagome, mentally congratulating himself when she screamed and pointed behind him.

"It-it's still moving!" she yelled.

Inuyasha turned and, sure enough, the severed pieces of youkai were twitching.

"What the hell?"

"You must remove the jewel from the glowing piece of flesh!" Kaede shouted from her vintage point by the front arches.

"Glowing…?" Kagome murmured.

Her eyes darted across the parts strewn throughout the courtyard and came to rest on one central piece that seemed to be slowly attracting the others.

"I see it! That one, over there," Kagome suddenly cried, pointing towards the hunk of flesh.

Kaede made her way towards the indicated place and removed a small, purple bead from it. Instantly, Mistress Centipede turned to ash and bones. Inuyasha recognized the marble, it was the same one that had flown out of Kagome's side.

Shikon no Tama…

* * *

Japanese Words Used: (in order of use)

Inu no Taishou: Dog General

* * *

Ok….Tired…tired…Praying for snow as I finished this chapter…The plot WILL be breaking away from the original plot of Inuyasha soon. Setting in the modern era kinda does that…

Please review and tell me what you thought! And other people too, if you liked it.

Much love,

Miji


	5. Beyond The Looking Glass

AAAH! I'm _so_ sorry that I didn't update at _all_ before this, but it was craziness… First I got internet taken away, then there was Exam Week, and then banned from the internet _again_! I am _such_ a dork…

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Disclaimer: --tune of 'All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth'-- All I want for Christmas is the copyright… The copyright, yes the copyright… Gee, if I could only have the copyright… Then I could say I owned Inuyasha…

* * *

Last Time: _Kaede made her way towards the indicated place and removed a small, purple bead from it. Instantly, Mistress Centipede turned to ash and bones. Inuyasha recognized the marble, it was the same one that had flown out of Kagome's side._

_Shikon no Tama…

* * *

_

This Time:

Kagome stared blankly at the wall by her bed, wincing every time Kaede touched a particularly sensitive part of her wound. It was the morning of her second day away from home, and Kaede was changing the bandages on her side. She still could not believe that the legendary Shikon no Tama, which now hung around her neck, had been in her side all this time.

Glancing over to Inuyasha, who was lounging right next to the bed, Kagome thought back to what Kaede had said about Inuyasha's previous connections with the Jewel.

* * *

_"Inuyasha knew the woman who, in this time, was the guardian of the Jewel," Kaede said._

"_Then can't we just give her the Shikon?" Kagome asked, "If I've got it right now, I don't think it's still there…"_

_Kaede looked away for a moment. "Kikyou is dead. She died not even a year ago. Inuyasha has been heartbroken ever since. I believe he loved her.'_

"_Oh," Kagome said, "Kaede obaasan, how do you know that?"_

"_I am Kikyou's Obaasan," Kaede smiled slightly, "And no matter what she said, I don't think Kikyou ever truly loved him back."

* * *

_

Kagome sighed wistfully coming out of her thoughts. How sad, an unrequited love. From what Kaede obaasan had told her about the hanyou it seemed like his life had not been an easy one, even without Kikyou's unreturned feelings. She tried not to show any pity for him, but it was hard. It made her so sad; Inuyasha deserved love more than most people she knew of.

She started when Inuyasha looked up to meet her gaze.

"Oi…What's that sympathetic look you're giving me for?" he snapped.

"Ah…" She stuttered, "B-betsuni. It doesn't matter."

He kept glaring for a moment before turning away with a 'Keh'. She sighed, then winced again as Kaede did the final tightening on the bandage. The wound was not very deep, but it still stung. She realized that seeing the Shikon had probably brought up more than a few painful memories for both Inuyasha and Kaede. Apparently, she also looked enough like Kikyou that they could have been twins, which was not helping anything at all.

Sighing again, Kagome wandered aimlessly down the hallway towards the stairs leading upstairs. Drifting in and out of rooms, she was surprised to find herself in a woman's room. Above the headboard, she was surprised to find a large portrait of a beautiful woman, with long black hair and almost purple eyes, holding a silver haired, dog-eared infant in her arms sitting in a chair. Behind her stood a man, with silver hair up in a ponytail, amber eyes, and purple streaks on his cheeks, and a teenager looking bored with the same features as the man, only with his hair down and hanging to his mid-back. Upon closer inspection, Kagome realized that both the standing men had fluffy…_things_ on them. The teenager's fluff on his shoulder and the older man's fluff on his back almost like a cape.

"What are you doing in here?"

Kagome jumped and turned around to see Inuyasha leaning tensely on the doorframe.

"I-I uh…," Kagome stuttered, searching for an appropriate answer, "Is…is this your family?" she finally blurted, pointing at the picture, "Your Okaasan is beautiful."

His glare softened a little.

"That was the day after I was born. My Oyaji," he pointed at the older man, "died that night. He was killed protecting me and my Ofukoro."

"I'm so sorry…"

"It doesn't matter. Ofukoro, Izayoi was her name, lived until I was…about seven. The only family I have left is Sesshoumaru," he sneered at the teenager next to the older man, "He's my aniki, but only _half_. We've got different Ofukoro and he's a full youkai."

"Where is he?" Kagome asked, "And how old is he?"

"I don't really care where he is, he comes and checks on me every once in a while. And," Inuyasha appeared to be thinking about something, "He's about 230 human years old, twenty three youkai years."

Kagome gaped. "And how old are you?"

"I just turned 150 this winter, fifteen youkai years."

"Oh…then I guess that means you're my age…I just turned fifteen yesterday."

"Er…Happy Birthday then…I guess," Inuyasha looked away, suddenly uncomfortable.

"I'll just…," Kagome began edging her way past Inuyasha, "…be leaving now, then."

Before Inuyasha could respond, she dashed out the door and down the stairs back to the safety of her new room. The same thought ran through both of their minds.

'Why am I so embarrassed?'

* * *

Ooh…the beginnings of attraction! Wonder what mayhem I can make to put a little bit of a wrench in the potential blossoming romance… Kikyou, of course, will be brought back to life and some other things like that… Shippou will be showing up within the next few chapters too!

* * *

Japanese Words Used: (in order of use)

Betsuni: Nothing

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Review and tell other people if you liked it!

Mucho encanta, (Irony here: I quit Spanish last year!)

Miji


	6. Tragic Priestess, Kikyou

Hee…I got this chapter out fast! I'm _so_ good…

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Disclaimer: Picture yourself in a happy place…Are you there? Good. Now, listen carefully… _I DON'T OWN INUYASHA!_ Thank you, and have a nice day.

* * *

Last Time: "_I'll just…," Kagome began edging her way past Inuyasha, "…be leaving now, then."_

_Before Inuyasha could respond, she dashed out the door and down the stairs back to the safety of her new room. The same thought ran through both of their minds._

'_Why am I so embarrassed?'

* * *

_

This Time:

Dinner that night was tense, with Inuyasha and Kagome occasionally glancing at each other, and then hurriedly looking away, and Kaede giving them both amused looks. The old woman didn't know what had happened earlier that day, but she could see the furtive glances now. The poor teenagers had obviously started falling for each other, and it was unfolding right in front of Kaede's eyes.

In short, Kaede was having more fun working for Inuyasha right that moment than she had in years.

After dinner, Kaede coerced Kagome into helping with dishes with the intention of prying information out of her. While Kagome was in the middle of washing a plate, Kaede decided to start her interrogation.

"So…," she said, looking slyly at the young woman washing dishes next to her, "You have feelings for Inuyasha, do you?"

Kagome started and dropped the dish back into the soapy water filling the sink.

"Kaede obaasan! What m-makes you say that?" The blush on her face was painfully apparent, even as she turned away.

"You know," Kaede smirked, "He _is_ single…not even any female friends."

"I would have though he would be married by now…his parents look rather wealthy."

"Yes, his Chichiue was Kyuuhanshu of the Western Lands, and his Hahaue was a princess. No matter what side of his bloodline you look at, Inuyasha is royalty."

"Sugoi…," Kagome said, awed, "I'm just the daughter of a normal woman and a shrine priest…"

Kaede shook her head. "But you have proved to be more than an ordinary girl… You are a miko."

Kagome closed her eyes thoughtfully. "I don't really _feel_ any different… A little more powerful, I guess you could say, but no different."

"That is because you are still the same person you were before. The miko power changes nothing, because it has always been there, only dormant."

Kagome nodded, feeling reassured about her new powers.

"Arigatou gozaimasu, Kaede obaasan," She gave the old woman a hug before dashing upstairs to her room.

Kaede smiled at her retreating back.

'If only Inuyasha could be this open with me about his feelings, I could start the matchmaking right away.'

* * *

The aforementioned teenaged boy was currently staring at his ceiling, but not really seeing it, and thinking about one thing that seemed to be frustrating him more in the past two days than anything else had in all of his 150 years.

Kagome. Inuyasha had no idea what to think of her. She was _different_, to say in the least, from modern girls. An odd mix of manners, radiating cheerfulness, and a fiery temper that he had caught a few glimpses of. He winced. It seemed that he was able to bring out the worst in her.

Inuyasha shook his head fiercely to clear it of less than pleasing thoughts. For some reason, even the _idea_ of making Kagome upset put him in a foul mood.

'Dammitt, why is she still in my head?' Inuyasha mentally yelled to himself repeatedly.

After several rounds of banging his head against his bedroom wall hard enough to rend a normal human unconscious, Inuyasha flopped back on his bed. As if thinking about Kagome hadn't been tiring enough, the raging headache from the wall left him wanting to do nothing but sleep for fifty years. He closed his eyes, even knowing that he might be left to dream of Kagome.

'Ah well,' he thought, 'better than some things I could think of.'

* * *

"_Inuyasha…Why did you betray me?"_

_I didn't! I swear I didn't do anything!_

"_How could you kill me?"_

_No! I never…I never did anything like that!_

"_How could you…You told me that you loved me!"_

_I did love you! I still do!_

"_Inuyasha…Die!"_

_Kikyou, NO!

* * *

_

Inuyasha woke with a start, gasping and clutching at his chest where the only scar he retained from all his battles was.

A single gunshot wound from a purifying bullet.

'Kikyou…'

* * *

Ooh…Scary dream/memory thing here. _And_ another chapter in the same day! AHA! Next chapter will have the shattering of the sacred jewel, the rosary, and other things… Mwaha. Fear the evilness of the authoress who doesn't even know exactly what's going to happen next… I'm winging it.

* * *

Japanese Words Used: (in order of use)

Chichiue- Father, respectful.

Hahaue- Mother, respectful.

Sugoi- Amazing; Incredible.

Arigatou Gozaimasu- Thank you very much, polite.

* * *

Okies! Review and tell me what you think, and others, if you like it!

Much love,

Miji


	7. Accidental Shattering Of

Yay! Chapter seven is here! La la!

* * *

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, but I _do_ have a whole winamp playlist of Inuyasha opening songs and such.

* * *

Last Time: _Inuyasha woke with a start, gasping and clutching at his chest where the only scar he retained from all his battles was._

_A single gunshot wound from a purifying bullet._

'_Kikyou…'

* * *

_

This Time:

By the time Inuyasha got downstairs for breakfast that morning, Kagome was already finishing her food. He grumbled a noncommittal sound as Kaede set a plate in front of him as well. Without even tasting it, he shoveled the whole meal in at an amazing, yet disturbing, speed. When he finally looked up again, Inuyasha was surprised to see Kagome gone from her seat.

"Oi, Baba," he yelled to Kaede, who was in the kitchen, "where'd Kagome go?"

"Kagome left to wander the shrine grounds," Kaede called back, "Apparently this shrine shares the same name as her family."

"So this is…her family's shrine?"

"It would seem so."

Inuyasha turned to look down at his plate. Having so many reminders of her family probably wasn't making anything better for Kagome.

* * *

Kagome wandered around the courtyard of the shrine, where the battle with Mistress Centipede had taken just a day before. She sighed, something she seemed to be doing more and more these past couple of days. She missed her family and friends and even, Kami forbid, her clumsy suitor Houjo! Sighing again, Kagome shoved her hands into the pockets of the large jacket Kaede had given her before she went out. Her fingertips brushed against the smooth beads of the rosary necklace Kaede helped her make that morning in an attempt to keep her mind off her homesickness.

* * *

_Kagome idly stringed another fang-shaped bead onto the thread she was holding. It was a simple pattern that didn't require much thought. Six purple round beads, one cream fang bead, six purple round beads, one cream fang bead, and so on. Kaede had been making idle conversation while stringing her own set of beads; a green and pale blue color scheme._

"_Kaede Obaasan," Kagome said holding up her half-completed rosary, "Is there a reason you insisted on my making this?"_

"_It's a subjugation rosary simply for if Inuyasha gets out of hand…," Kaede replied vaguely._

"_What do you mean by 'out of hand'?"_

"_He may not know his own strength… And he _does _have quite a temper on him."_

"…_Alright… If you say so, Obaasan."

* * *

_

And so they had sat there for another couple of minutes, finishing their rosary necklaces and making more idle conversation.

Kagome stared for another moment at the innocent looking string of beads, then shook her head. She couldn't just put a subjugation spell on him.

'Although,' Kagome thought, 'it _would_ look nice on him… He always wears so much red, it would be a nice contrast.'

Closing her eyes and sighing again, Kagome failed to notice the group of rough looking men standing directly in her path.

"Ah! G-gomen nasai!" she stuttered, bowing hastily.

The largest man, a veritable giant and obviously the leader, took a couple unsteady steps towards her.

"You have the Jewel…," he growled out, "Give it to me!"

Then, without warning, two of his henchmen grabbed her by the arms and held her. The leader pulled out a gun, and tried to aim it with his arm waving unsteadily back and forth.

"Oi, Boss!" one of the men behind him called out, "Get her right between the eyes; a perfect shot!"

The men had a brief chuckle before the first shot rang out. Blood flowed from a fresh head wound, and the man holding Kagome's right arm fell to the ground, dying.

"B-boss… What'd you do that for…?"

All the men took a step back from their unstable Boss. He wavered on his feet before straightening some.

"Woops…," he said laughingly "I missed."

Kagome was shoved forward by the lackey remaining at her left.

"Boss, what're you aiming at! _She's_ the one you want!"

"Baka!" Kagome whirled of the man pushing her, "Can't you see that there's something _wrong_ with your Boss?"

Boss prepared to fire again, and everyone took off running. Kagome frantically scrambled for cover as the rest of the gang followed her.

'Here I am,' Kagome thought hysterically, 'playing _games,_' another shot, 'in the future,' dodge to a new cover and a third shot, 'with an eight foot _troll_.'

As the fourth shot was fired, Kagome ran to the shrine's storage building, tossing the Shikon away from her as she ran. The next shot was wild, but hit one of the ancient support beams. A wall collapsed, covering the back exit and leaving no choice but to face the giant standing in the doorway. With the gang cowering behind her, Kagome was forced to the front of the group.

The gun was lowered to her face.

Kagome squeezed her eyes shut.

And Inuyasha came bursting through the wall just in time to intercept the bullet. Wearing the bright red jacket Kagome had become so accustomed to seeing, he looked to her like a beacon in the gloom of the storehouse.

"Inuyasha!"

* * *

Okies, there's the end. Cliffy, yay! I'm so evil. Shattering of the Shikon and rosary up next, promise.

* * *

Japanese Words Used: (in order of use)

Gomen nasai: I'm very sorry, polite.

* * *

Review and…you know the drill.

Much love,

Miji


	8. The Shikon No Tama

Okay…I think some people may be a little confused on a couple points.

First: No, there is not royalty in modern Japan, as far as I know, but there _was_ about 150 years ago when Inuyasha was born, ok? Are you getting this now?

Second: Inuyasha did not sleep for 50 years, coma or not. In the third movie, it says his father died 200 years ago, on the night Inuyasha was born. I figure, like many other fanfic writers, that Inuyasha was aging one youkai year for every ten human years, and that the fifty years he was on the tree he spent in suspended animation; not aging or anything.

Now that _that's_ cleared up…

* * *

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, but according to the Weird Al song I'm listening to right now, my love life will run into trouble when my fiancé hurls a javelin through my chest…Good thing I don't have a fiancé…or a love life, for that matter.

* * *

Last Time: _And Inuyasha came bursting through the wall just in time to intercept the bullet. Wearing the bright red jacket Kagome had become so accustomed to seeing, he looked to her like a beacon in the gloom of the storehouse._

"_Inuyasha!"

* * *

_

This Time:

Inuyasha whirled on the Boss, the same yellow energy trailing from his fingertips as the encounter with Mistress Centipede.

"Pathetic," he announced, seemingly to the man's chest, "Couldn't even get yourself anything better than _this_ piece of shit? And you can't even control him properly," he gestured to the wavering stance and uneven aim of the gun, "You're a poor excuse for a youkai," draw back for the strike, "you filthy crow!"

Inuyasha's hand went clean through the Boss's chest where his heart should have been, and a large crow with three eyes flew out of his back at the same point. The Boss froze in place, then slowly collapsed as his flesh dissolved away.

His large skeleton fell to the floor with a thump. Kagome clasped her hands to her mouth to hold back the scream building in her throat. Her eyes were large and disbelieving, unable to comprehend what had just happened. Inuyasha shook her out of her stupor.

"Stop doing this," he demanded, "Everything's ok now, got it? That thug is dead, you and the Shikon are safe, and, without a host, the crow is harmless."

He did a double take at the spot where the Shikon should have been around her neck.

"Where the hell is the fucking Jewel!"

Kagome's eyes watered up with tears. She had been away from home for two days now, she was apparently in the _future,_ where everything she had known was long since dead and gone, and now this jerk had the gall to yell at her over a stupid little _bead_ that had almost cost Kagome her _life_?

"You know what, Inuyasha?" she reached into her pocket, "I am sick and tired of everything that I've been through in the past two days," fist closed around the desired object, "so you can _shut up_," pulled it out of the pocket, "and just…just…," necklace slammed roughly over his head "Osuwari!"

The beads glowed bright purple for a moment, and then Inuyasha was forced face-first into the wooden floor of the storehouse. The gang members, having only just started recovering from shock, cowered further into the corner they were in. No one else really wanted to do a face-plant. Inuyasha swore heavily from his position spread-eagle in an indent on the floor in every language he knew how. Kagome turned on her heel and stormed off.

As soon as he regained his freedom of movement, Inuyasha grabbed a gun off of a gang member and took off after Kagome. She was going to get herself killed out there, now that the crow most likely had the Jewel.

* * *

Kagome ran back towards what she thought was the general direction of the house, tears leaking out of her eyes.

'Inuyasha no _baka_!' she thought furiously.

She slowed to a stop by the arches that marked the front entrance to the shrine and looked down the steps to the street below. A small boy and his mother were passing by, when a sudden dark shape swooped in and snatched the boy from his mother's grasp. Kagome gasped as she recognized the shape. It was the crow.

'Only now,' she thought angrily to herself, 'it's bigger and stronger because _I_ let it have the Shikon.'

"Oi!"

Kagome turned at the familiar voice to see Inuyasha land right next to her. She glared coldly at him before her gaze dropped to the item clutched in his hand.

"We have to help the boy," She stated, leaving no question, "It's my fault he was snatched away, and I'm going to fix it. But just how is that…_thing_," Kagome gestured impatiently to the gun Inuyasha had been holding out to her, "going to help me?"

Without warning, Inuyasha pulled her up onto his back and handed her the gun. He was in the air before she quite realized it.

"Kaede Baba says that Kikyou was your reincarnation, so you can't be _that_ bad with a gun."

They leapt across several buildings, trying to eliminate some of the distance between them and the crow. The crow took a sharp right and headed for a park with a large pond and Inuyasha took to the trees. Kagome saw a chance when the crow flew above the trees and fired twice.

Both shots missed horribly.

Inuyasha dropped to the ground with a disgusted huff and deposited Kagome roughly on the path.

"Ite! What was that for, you jerk?" Kagome shrieked, rubbing her abused tailbone.

Inuyasha scowled back at her. "I should have know you would be useless."

He turned on his heel and leapt after the crow once more.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled after him, "Don't hurt the boy!"

She stood up with a wince and ran after them, determined to save the little boy. As she caught up by the edge of the lake, Kagome saw Inuyasha slash the crow to pieces, leaving the boy to fall into the water below. Her eyes widened in horror, and she leapt into the water after him without a second thought. The child, no more than four or five, Kagome noticed, was struggling to stay above the surface of the water and failing. With the practiced ease of one who has been swimming their entire life, she made her way over to boy and started slowly pulling him back to shore, as she had done when her own brother had been this age. They were greeted at the pond's edge by several bystanders and the child's own mother. Kagome stood awkwardly as the woman cried hysterically and thanked her repeatedly through her tears.

Inuyasha's cursing caught her attention, and she turned to see the reforming crow starting to fly off. The little boy whimpered as he was jerked up a little by the foot of the crow still attached to his shirt. Inuyasha peered curiously as she fumbled with the foot for a moment, and the gun before she stood and aimed again. The foot gave up on the boy and released him in favor of returning to the body.

Inuyasha scowled at her, "My ass she's gonna hit it," he muttered himself as Kagome squeezed the trigger.

His eyes widened as he noticed something odd about the bullet.

'She's shooting a claw!'

Kagome watched determinedly as her bullet sped towards it's intended target.

'It can't help but be drawn back to the rest of the body, so there's no way I can miss.'

The claw glowed the same eerie blue light as Kagome's hands had with Mistress Centipede before colliding with the crow.

"Got it!"

A small cracking sound was heard, as a pink light engulfed the crow before exploding into shards that scattered in all directions.

Both Inuyasha and Kagome looked on in horror.

'I _really_ hope that's not what I think it is…'

* * *

Ha. Ha. _Ha_. There, it's broken now. I have completed my evilness for the day. Muaha.

Review and tell me what you think, and others, if you like it!

Much love,

Miji


	9. Yura Of The Hair

Okay! Here is Chapter 9! As I told my friend last Tuesday when I posted Chapter 8, "I'll get the next chapter out soon. 'Soon' being somewhere between now and next Tuesday, mind you." And so, as I said, it's out 'soon'.

* * *

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, but I do own a bottle of ibuprofen for the massive headache I feel coming on as a result of staring at the computer screen and typing. In the dark. Again.

* * *

Last Time: _A small cracking sound was heard, as a pink light engulfed the crow before exploding into shards that scattered in all directions._

_Both Inuyasha and Kagome looked on in horror._

'_I _really _hope that's not what I think it is…'

* * *

_

This Time:

Kagome and Inuyasha wandered throughout the park, weaving randomly back and forth, as Kagome tried to pinpoint the direction of the feeling that she was getting from the Shikon. They both whirled around at a screeching hiss from behind them to confront the head of the crow youkai. Inuyasha's claws made quick work of the head, and a small pink glimmer fell to the ground. Kagome crouched down to examine it and let out a gasp of surprise.

"What is it?" Inuyasha demanded.

She held up what looked like a sliver of glass.

"I think it might be…," she gulped nervously, "a Shikon no kakera…?"

Inuyasha was silent for a moment, then he let out a shriek that scattered any wildlife in hearing range.

"_Nani!_"

* * *

Kagome was again wandering the shrine grounds by herself.

'Inuyasha must be so furious right about now,' she thought sulkily, 'I've just gone and shattered not _only_ the most powerful magical item in the known world, but a memento of his dead love.'

She sighed, which, seeing as she had done it so much in the past two and a half days, was beginning to get on her nerves.

"Great, _just great_. Now I'm getting on my _own_ nerves!" She let out a scream of frustration that, thankfully, no one was around to witness.

She stormed her way over to the covered well with her original clothing, resolving to get home once and for all. Kagome slammed the doors open, and stomped down the creaky steps, raising clouds of dust around her feet.

Dropping the pile of clothes and peering into the well, Kagome began to get a feeling of apprehension. After all, what if getting to the future was just a mistake? Falling to her death at the bottom of a dirty old well didn't sound like much fun to her. The sound of the stairs creaking behind her startled Kagome, and she whirled around to face whoever it was.

Fully expecting it to be Inuyasha, she was not prepared when a scantily clad woman with cropped black hair holding a red skull purse over her shoulder. She gulped, somehow knowing that this woman wasn't a normal shrine patron there for a visit. The woman's eyes bored into Kagome's, the startling deep pink holding her own deep blue gaze captive.

'Youkai,' Kagome thought numbly, 'No ningen could have eyes like _that_ and feel this frightening.'

Pink eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Where is the Shikon?" she demanded, "Give it to me now, or I shall be cross."

Kagome took an unconscious step backwards. "I…I don't have it anymore."

Not exactly a lie, seeing as she only had a small piece of it now.

"You _will_ give me the Shikon!"

Small, nearly invisible web-like strands whipped out and snatched the pouch with the shard out of Kagome's pocket. The woman's smirk turned into a look of shock as she pulled out the Shikon no kakera.

"What have you done with the rest of it? Tell me now!"

"I," Kagome moved back until her legs where pressed up against the well's rim, "don't know where it is."

The woman looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Then I suppose you are useless to me now. My name is Yura," she gave a mock bow, "of the Hair."

"Hair…?"

"But you needn't be remembering it," Yura threw her hand out as if throwing something and a sword materialized and flew to her hands, "because you'll be dead soon!"

Kagome leaned backwards as Yura swiped at her and narrowly missed the blade. Her eyes widened as she lost her footing and fell screaming into the well. Yura leapt up to stand on the rim of the well and threw the sword down after.

"I'll get you!"

The screams faded and the echoing sound of the blade striking the dirt at the bottom of the well sounded loudly in the silence. Yura jerked her hand up for the threads to pull the sword back into her hand.

"Gone?"

She opened her hand and let her sword dissolve back into threads, then calmly walked out of the well house and back down to the streets below.

"I suppose," she mused, "that I will have to find the rest of the pieces myself then?"

* * *

Inuyasha shifted restlessly on his bed. Kagome had been gone all afternoon so far with no sign of returning any time soon. He growled to himself and rolled over to stare at the wall. Why should he care if the stupid girl went and got herself lost in the city?

He sat up suddenly.

'That baka still has the Shikon no kakera with her!'

* * *

Ladies and Gentlemen, Kagome has left the era. Mwaha. At this point in time, Inuyasha has just gone into denial of his attraction to Kagome. Mwaha again.

* * *

Japanese Words Used: (in order of use)

Shikon no kakera: Shikon shards.

* * *

Fwee.

Review and tell me what you think, and others if you liked it! Miji _loves_ publicity for her stories.

Much love,

Miji


	10. And Back Again

Okay, this is a record for me. Never in my fanfiction writing career (if you can even call it that) has a chapter flowed so readily onto the computer screen. And yes, I _did_ give Kagome's mother a name. It's Chitose, after the landlady in 'Chobits'! She also makes an appearance in Clamp's 'Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle' as one of the creators of Ôto, a virtual reality game world.

* * *

Disclaimer: Nope, still don't own it. Although I do wish I could have Kouga…or Miroku…or Inuyasha…or Sesshoumaru…I'm not real picky.

* * *

Last Time: _Inuyasha shifted restlessly on his bed. Kagome had been gone all afternoon so far with no sign of returning any time soon. He growled to himself and rolled over to stare at the wall. Why should he care if the stupid girl went and got herself lost in the city?_

_He sat up suddenly._

'_That baka still has the Shikon no kakera with her!'

* * *

_

This Time:

Inuyasha paused at the door of the well house where he had followed Kagome's scent trail. His eyes quickly made the adjustment to the gloom. Kagome's clothing seemed to glow as a single point of color inside the dust-covered room.

'Why would she leave her clothing here?' he thought, thoroughly confused at this point.

He made a quick inspection of the entire shack, but found only what he assumed to be his and Kagome's footprints and smelled nothing but a faint hint of the missing girl among the decades of dust. With a muttered curse, and an inward prayer, Inuyasha hesitantly peered into the well.

Nothing.

He was both frustrated and relieved at not finding her at the bottom of the pit. Something white caught his attention in the corner. His mind flashed briefly to the white hair ribbon he had seen Kagome rubbing between her fingers on occasion. Inuyasha looked at the door, then back down to the ribbon in a short moment of indecision.

"Here goes nothing," he muttered to himself.

Silver hair flowed out behind him as he jumped into the well.

* * *

"But I've been _telling_ you the truth since midday!" Kagome nearly shouted to her disbelieving family, "When I fell down the old well in the forest the other day, I came out in the future; hundreds of _years_ in the future!"

"She's telling the truth, Okaasan!" Souta protested from his place behind Kagome, "I saw nee-chan fall down that well, but when I looked in, nothing was there!"

Higurashi-san looked doubtfully at her two children, then at Ojiisan, who was nodding thoughtfully. Their family had been shrine keepers for longer than any of them could remember, and the old man took it especially to heart. He had insisted that their family had so-called 'holy powers' in their blood, but none showed any such thing.

Until Kagome's tale.

Youkai and miko and magical wells? Chitose loved her daughter very much, but it was so hard to believe something so far-fetched. Nodding her head decisively, she resolved to worry about supper before any more magical tales.

Kagome sighed from her seat by the door of her family's shrine house.

'The shrine isn't nearly so large in this time,' she mused idly, 'Must have been expanded by my children's children, or something like that.'

She winced at the thought of children. Whose children would they be? There were a couple suitors, including the overly enthusiastic and slightly dense Houjo, but none of them really appealed to her. Fifteen years old and nearly an old maid, Kagome had been set for a future living the life of a shrine maiden. Never marrying or having children, living alone and dying alone.

Somehow, being a shrine maiden didn't seem like such a fulfilling life. She was _going_ to have a husband and children, by the Kami, but not Houjo or any other stupid boy from her village. Kagome smiled to herself, eyes unfocused as she dreamed of her future. As the oldest, female or not, she was going to inherit the shrine and, as such, live there with her own family.

A cozy place for her to make into a home, her mother staying nearby at their current hut, and children… She thought hard on that for a moment, then decided.

'Six is a rather nice number, I think,' Kagome decided, 'Nice and even, and not _too_ many.'

But what would her children look like? They would inherit some of her features, but what about their Otousan? As she was systematically going through possibilities in her head, an unbidden image appeared. A baby in her arms, with ebony hair, deep blue eyes and…inu ears? She concentrated harder on the mental picture, hoping to make it clearer.

'Are those flecks of _amber_ in the eyes?'

But the only person she knew of with those particular…_odd_ traits was-

"Oi, who said you could go home?"

"Inuyasha!"

Kagome jumped to her feet, flushing crimson at seeing the very boy she had just imagined having _children_ with.

"W-what brings you here?" she looked around nervously, avoiding looking at Inuyasha completely.

"Baka," he growled at her, "We have to look for those damn Shikon no kakera, remember? Do you even _realize_ just how bad it could get if someone with truly evil intent got that thing?"

"Er…No I can't?"

"Imagine the worst that could happen. Got that in your head?"

"Yeah…"

"It'll be ten times worse."

Silence ensued as Inuyasha glared at Kagome, who was looking at the dirt at her feet as if it was the most fascinating thing she had ever bore witness to in her life. Souta came running out of the hut at full speed, nearly running straight into Kagome's back.

"Nee-chan! Okaasan says it's time for sup…per?" He peered cautiously at Inuyasha ears, which were twitching spastically in every direction.

"So this is him?" he asked, "That guy who let you stay with him?"

Inuyasha crouched down to the boy's level.

"You're her otouto? How old are you, kid?"

The little boy straightened proudly.

"I'm nine springs, but I'll be ten pretty soon," he proudly displayed all ten fingers, "Say, how old are you? You look nee-chan's age."

"I'm 150 winters old, in human years," Inuyasha grinned as Souta stared worshipfully at the older boy, "That makes me fifteen youkai years."

"Kagome nee-chan is fifteen autumns old. That makes you just one season older!"

Inuyasha ruffled his hair gently.

"Nice figuring, kid, but I don't think I've been born quite yet…" he turned to Kagome, "This is Edo, right?"

"Yup," she nodded at him, "Musashi, to be more specific."

"And have people begun bringing guns and machines from across the ocean?"

"Guns…" Kagome thought on the word for a moment, "Oh! Those weapons that fire the little metal balls, right?" At Inuyasha's nod, she continued on, "And machina too… stupid noisy things they are."

Inuyasha straightened up again.

"Thought so. This should be the Sengoku Jidai then. About 350 or so years before I'm going to be born."

"Sugoi…" Souta was entranced.

Kagome looked away. In his time, she had been dead for almost 500 years. In her time, he wasn't going to be _born_ for about another 350 years.

"Kagome! Souta! Supper is going to get cold if you don't hurry!"

Souta ran off back into the hut as fast as his legs could carry him, leaving the two teens still standing outside. Inuyasha's ears perked up at the voice and he looked to Kagome.

"Okaasan," she told him reassuringly, "I think she'll like you."

"B-but I-"

"I am now officially inviting you to supper, Inuyasha, let's go."

He followed weakly, sputtering half-formed protests as Kagome led him into her home by the death-grip on his sleeve. It didn't look like he was getting out of this one anytime soon.

"Okaasan!" Kagome called out cheerfully as they entered, "We have a guest."

"Very nice dear," Chitose replied without turning away from the fire pit where she was serving stew into bowls, "Go get another bowl then."

Kagome did as told, leaving Inuyasha standing awkwardly in the doorway. As she took the bowl from her daughter, Chitose spoke to him.

"How much would you like…?"

"Inuyasha."

"Inuyasha-san?" she turned fully to look at him and let out a slightly startled gasp, "Oh. So _you're_ Inuyasha."

Kagome's Ojiisan, who had until now ignored the guest in their home, looked up suddenly. He took in the boy's odd clothing, silver hair and golden eyes, inu ears, and…where those _claws_ on his fingers?

Inuyasha looked sheepishly at the old man, Ojiisan looked back.

"Er…hi?"

And all hell broke loose.

* * *

I feel so enlightened. It only took me about _one hour_ to write this chapter! And the day after I just finished and posted another chapter, too! Hee, I feel special.

* * *

Japanese words used: (in order of use)

Otousan: Father, polite.

Sengoku Jidai: Feudal Era.

Musashi: The region where Edo was.

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Fwee.

Review and tell me what you think, and others if you like it! Miji _loves_ for her stories to get publicity…especially if it's good!

Much love,

Miji


	11. Mother Knows Best

Wow, Miji is on a _roll_. Three chapters in three days? This has _got_ to be a record for me, honest.

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Disclaimer: I still don't own them...But I can dream, can't I? Really vivid, Technicolor dreams?

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Last Time: _Kagome's Ojiisan, who had until now ignored the guest in their home, looked up suddenly. He took in the boy's odd clothing, silver hair and golden eyes, inu ears, and…where those _claws _on his fingers?_

_Inuyasha looked sheepishly at the old man, Ojiisan looked back._

"_Er…hi?"_

_And all hell broke loose.

* * *

_

This Time:

In a whirlwind of motion, Ojiisan had jumped up from his place and chasing Inuyasha around with sutras. Inuyasha, having no desire to find out if this was where Kagome had inherited her miko powers from, kept dodging out of the old man's reach. Souta ran back and forth excitedly, torn between defending his new hero and cheering on his Ojiisan. Kagome yelled random commands at the males in the room from a safe place in a corner. Chitose calmly finished serving Inuyasha's food, then prepared her own.

"Eat your food before it goes cold."

The soft command cut through the chaos, halting everyone mid-motion. Souta and Kagome gave Chitose apologetic looks before sitting down. Ojiisan shot Inuyasha one last dirty look before retaking his place as well. The inu hanyou stood awkwardly for a moment before Chitose motioned for him to sit between her daughter and herself.

Silence broken only by sounds of eating made the air thick and stifling, in Inuyasha's opinion. Both the kid and Jiji kept staring at him; the boy worshipfully and the old man scathingly.

'Stupid Jiji,' he thought sourly from his safe place across the fire pit from said Jiji, 'Now that he's not distracting me with his chasing, I can tell he hasn't got a single milligram of spiritual powers.'

Near the end of the meal, Chitose spoke again.

"Inuyasha-san," she said sternly.

"Y-yes?"

She fixed deep brown eyes on him.

"What exactly are your intentions with my daughter?"

He choked on his mouthful of food, flushing brightly as he tried to regain his composure. A quick glance at Kagome revealed that she was just as red, and fidgeting nervously with the ends of her hair.

"I-intentions?" Inuyasha finally sputtered, "What do you mean by that?"

"From what Kagome has told me, she stayed with you in your home for several days, is that not correct," Chitose fixed him with a look, "Inuyasha-_san_?"

"Okaasan, nothing happened! It was just...And then...He just...I...We.." Kagome babbled frantically, trying to explain that nothing like _that_ had happened.

"Kagome." the girl immediately stopped. "Now, Inuyasha-san, please let it be known that if you will not do the honorable thing and marry my daughter, you will suffer," Inuyasha gulped nervously at the glint in Chitose's eyes and the meaning he heard in the pause, "severe consequences for your irresponsibility."

Both Kagome and Inuyasha blinked at her as the same thought went though their heads.

'What kind of consequences?'

* * *

The sun had gone down hours ago, and Kagome's Okaasan had made her decision final. Unless they were married, she would not allow her daughter to travel, _alone_, with a young man.

"Ne," Inuyasha looked down at the little boy peering into his eyes.

"Whaddya want kid?" he was tired, physically and mentally, and Chitose's arguments were starting to wear him down.

"Since you're gonna marry my nee-chan..."

"Didn't say that."

Souta ignored him and plowed on.

"I think I'll call you Inu no nii-chan," the boy say with finality.

Inuyasha groaned and looked away. He could not deal with this, not here, not now. At this rate, he was just about ready to give up and just marry the girl. It was only the ningen custom, after all, and had nothing really to do with youkai mating...right?

* * *

Meanwhile, the women sat outside. Kagome stared at her Okaasan. Chitose stared back. The staring match between mother and daughter had been going on for quite a while now, but Kagome showed signs of being about ready to give up soon.

"Okaasan..."

"Kagome, you know I can't allow it," Chitose said gently, "I'm looking out for your future, your safety."

'And your grandchildren,' Kagome thought dryly.

"I don't want you chasing after some magical artifact with a young man by yourself, not without knowing that you'll be kept safe."

"Demo, Okaasan..."

"My decision is final," the tone relayed the same message the words did, with no room for argument, "Either you marry him and go help fix your mistake, or you don't marry him and be burdened with the guilt for the rest of your life."

Kagome couldn't look her mother in the eye. It wasn't as if she was opposed to the idea of marrying Inuyasha, it was just...

'I don't want it to be like _this_,' she sighed dismally, 'I want it to be for love, not because Okaasan doesn't want me traveling alone with a man.'

"I...I guess..." Kagome looked away, "Alright. I'll do it. I'll marry Inuyasha."

"Very well," Kagome missed the secretive smile that crossed her Okaasan's lips as she walked back into the hut.

* * *

"Inuyasha-san."

The boy looked up, startled from his thoughts, to see Kagome's Okaasan.

"Higurashi-san?"

"I trust that Ojiisan talked to you?"

"Oh, we talked all right," the hanyou grumpily pulled yet _another_ scrap of a sutra out of his hair, "If you call him yelling and throwing those false sutras at me _talking_."

"And your decision?"

"I...Yes. I'll do it."

"Thank you," Chitose smiled gently at him.

"For what, Higurashi-san?"

"For taking care of my Kagome," she replied, "And please, call me Okaasan now."

"Right," she looked at him expectantly, "...Okaasan."

Chitose beamed ecstatically.

"Oyasumi-nasai, Inuyasha."

'I may just get my grandchildren before I'm too old to enjoy them.'

* * *

And there you have it. I have now officially gone off on a tangent from both the plotlines of the anime _and_ the manga. But really, when you think about it, it makes sense that Kagome's mother would insist on her not traveling alone with a guy, considering the times.

...I guess that's all I have to say about this.

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Japanese Word Used: (in order of use)

Jiji: Old man; Gramps, rude.

Ne: Hey; Oi.

Demo: But.

Oyasumi-nasai: Goodnight, polite.

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Review and tell me what you thought, and others if you like it! Like Miji has been saying the past couple of chapters, 'Publicity is _good_.'

Much love,

Miji


	12. If I'm A Bitch Then You're A Bitch

Okay, before you start this chapter let me say one thing:

I couldn't resist.

No, despite the marriage, there will be no children, except Shippou, at this point. It would feel too...cliché and overused. Besides, I don't think they could really deal with a kid on the way when they can barely handle being married while on the hunt for the Shikon no kakera. Let's just say I took pity on their poor souls...

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Disclaimer: If I owned Inuyasha, Kikyou would have gotten over her useless grudge and be happy that she's being avenged. And allow Inuyasha to be free to love again, instead of keeping up her damn guilt trip.

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Last Time: "_Thank you," Chitose smiled gently at him._

"_For what, Higurashi-san?"_

"_For taking care of my Kagome," she replied, "And please, call me Okaasan now."_

"_Right," she looked at him expectantly, "...Okaasan."_

_Chitose beamed ecstatically._

"_Oyasumi-nasai, Inuyasha."_

'_I may just get my grandchildren before I'm too old to enjoy them.'

* * *

_

This Time:

Kagome sat next to Inuyasha, thoughts racing through her head. It was her wedding day, and she had no idea what to think. Her best friends, Yuka, Eri, and Ayumi, had been ecstatic, and slightly jealous, that she was having her wedding first. All three had their own men, but hadn't had their actual _wedding_ take place yet. Her suitors had been disappointed, but had offered their best wishes despite that. Houjo however...

Poor Houjo was a mess. Somehow, despite Kagome's constant refusal of his marriage proposals, he had convinced himself that she was deeply in love with him. How this logic worked out, Kagome couldn't quite figure. But, there were other nice girls in the village, and certainly hundreds of thousands better than herself in all of Japan, so it was safe to hope that Houjo would get over her. Soon.

'Yeah,' Kagome snorted mentally, 'and that old half-dead horse of Ojiisan's will suddenly sprout wings and fly off into the sunset.'

She glanced back at the man sitting next to her, wondering if he was as nervous as she was.

'Of course he is, you dolt! He's getting married to a girl he barely knows and likes because she broke something important and isn't allowed to help fix it otherwise,' Kagome mentally berated herself. If not for her, they wouldn't even _be_ in this mess. According to Kaede, in Inuyasha's time, most people didn't get married until their twenties or even thirties! Those people, however, also had longer life spans, never having to worry about famine or war or bandits. Must have been nice.

However bad she felt about cutting Inuyasha's bachelorhood short, she couldn't change the past. Kagome _had_ to fix her mistake, no matter the cost to herself. Not that she minded _this_ particular cost, she reminded herself. After all, just whom had she been daydreaming about having children with just a day before? And, here she was, marrying that same man. In being stuck with someone for the rest of her life, Kagome didn't think she could have gotten much luckier. And who knew? Maybe this wouldn't be so bad...

* * *

Inuyasha stared blankly at the floor in front of him, appearing respectful while at the same time spaced out until he heard something that required him to actually pay attention. He couldn't really tell what exactly he was feeling at the time. Emotions had never been Inuyasha's strong point, and, right now, there were too many of them, almost all unfamiliar, for him to deal with. Usually, when something happened, he could find something to get angry about. Anger he could deal with, dozens of other emotions at the same time he couldn't.

'I can't believe I actually agreed to this,' Inuyasha groaned in his head, 'There's gotta be something other than this, but...'

Higurashi-san had been adamant about this marriage, and they didn't have time to waste arguing. Although he had to doubt that Chitose's only concern was her daughter traveling with an unmarried man.

'Probably just wanted to see her daughter have children before she got too old. People don't live as long in Kagome's time, do they,' his thoughts were silent a moment before the sarcastic part of him commented, 'And me, like a fool, barely put up a fight about it.'

He couldn't help it though. Chitose reminded him so much of his own Ofukoro that he just couldn't refuse her. Inuyasha's thoughts took a sharp turn towards thoughts of his Ofukoro, Izayoi, who had died so long ago.

'Hahaue would have wanted to be here for my wedding, whether or not me and the bitch really decide to take this seriously.'

Trying desperately to keep his mind occupied with thoughts of anything _but_ the ceremony currently going on, he turned his thoughts to the memory of a phrase brought on by the word 'bitch'.

'If I'm a bitch, then you're a bitch, your mom's a bitch for having a bitch, your dad's a bitch for fucking a bitch, so, who's the bitch now, bitch?'

The phrase rolled around in his head for a while before Inuyasha decided to attempt to make a song out of it. Never having been much of a songwriter, he knew that would keep him busy, at least until the end of the ceremony. Who knew? Maybe this wouldn't be so bad...

* * *

The feast after the ceremony was held in the center of the village, with every villager in attendance. Inuyasha and Kagome merely stayed nervously at each other's side while cup after cup of sake was pressed on them by what seemed like every person coming up to offer congratulations or lewd comments on the night to come. That being the entire village. The newlyweds thought they had seen several people more than once, but chalked it up to the excess of alcohol they were being forced to consume.

As Kagome began swaying lightly on her feet, forcing her to rest her weight on Inuyasha, the amount of sake offered her decreased to one or two cups for Inuyasha's every eight to ten. Things continued until Inuyasha was just as drunk as his new wife and the village deemed them fit to be released. Barely conscious, and requiring the help of several villagers, the new couple was shoved off to a hut on the shrine grounds that, had they been sober, the couple would have sworn had not been there that morning. In the morning, amidst two massive hangovers, Inuyasha and Kagome would be faced with a horrible truth.

They had just been _so_ tricked by the village.

And there would be hell to pay.

* * *

Hee. Not-so-subtle hint of what happens. Meow. Fight with Yura is next, Shippou soon after that! Shippou is just so damn cute.

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Japanese Words Used: (in order of use)

Ofukoro: Mother, respectful.

Hahaue: Mother, respectful.

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Review and tell me your thoughts on this! Tell other people too...I like reviews; they make me feel more appreciated.

Much love,

Miji


	13. Honeymoon's Over

Ok, so…I know I'm a total _ass_ for not having updated until now, but it was my brain shifting gears to summer. That and the first thing I did this summer was catch a summer cold. No fun, I tell you. No fun at all.

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Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha…But, if I could get my scanner up and running again, I could post some really nice art I did for this story that I _do_ own!

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Last Time: _Barely conscious, and requiring the help of several villagers, the new couple was shoved off to a hut on the shrine grounds that, had they been sober, the couple would have sworn had not been there that morning. In the morning, amidst two massive hangovers, Inuyasha and Kagome would be faced with a horrible truth._

_They had just been so tricked by the village._

_And there would be hell to pay.

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_

This Time:

As Kagome sat across from Inuyasha at his dining room table, nervously picking at her food, she wondered just what had happened during the night. Her new husband had been distant, responding only with a 'keh' to her questions.

Obviously, nothing of much importance had happened, or he would have been screaming at her.

Sighing to herself, she reviewed the morning again in her head, in hopes of finding a clue as to what had happened during her black out.

* * *

_Kagome blearily opened her eyes, still mostly asleep, to the sight of an unfamiliar _bare _chest. Immediately awake, she jolted upright, only to be stopped by the arm firmly locked around her waist. She hyperventilated for several moments, afraid that she had done something she really shouldn't have._

_And then she remembered the wedding._

'_Well, at least I know that, whatever happened, I can't be disowned,' was her sarcastic response.

* * *

_

No, Kagome finally decided after going over the morning several more times in her head, nothing had happened. Shortly after she had woken up, Inuyasha had risen in the usual grumpy manner in which he seemed to do all things. They had argued for some time after that, before deciding to leave for his time and the search for the Shikon no kakera again. Bidding farewell to her okaasan, Kagome thought she saw some disappointment in her gaze, but ignored it. She had _tricked_ her; her own daughter! If Chitose had been hoping for a start on those grandchildren she so desperately wanted, she was out of luck.

'As if I didn't know,' Kagome pouted, attacking her food viciously. 'She's been talking of nothing but her future grandchildren since I was nine!'

Giving up entirely on her meal, Kagome shoved her plate away in favor of studying the view of the shrine from the windows. Their search for the rest of the tama began now.

As soon as Inuyasha finished his breakfast, as it were.

* * *

Inuyasha had woken that morning, slightly hung-over and in less than a good mood. (If you had asked Kagome, she would have told you it was downright unpleasant.) Waking up next to a strange woman would usually not be all _that_ much of a problem; waking up to one that you were newly _married to_, however, was a totally different animal. After taking out some of his frustrations in an argument with his already-awake wife, they had bid goodbye to his new mother-in-law and left to have breakfast back at his home.

Which left him here; drowning his problems in food while Kagome poked at hers.

Inuyasha snorted in his mind. He didn't know what her problem was. He'd told her during their argument that nothing had happened that night. His nose never lied, he'd told her. And besides, who would want to mate with such a bitch anyways? She hadn't liked that at all.

* * *

"_You…," Kagome's eyes narrowed at him, and he fought the urge to step back._

_And then he inserted his foot further into his mouth. "What's the matter, bitch? Can't handle it when someone tells you the truth?"_

"_You…you…"_

"_Me, me," He mocked._

"_You arrogant _cur_!"_ _He actually winced at that one._

"_Fine then," Her voice turned cold, though her eyes burned with suppressed anger. "If you're going to be a dog, then you might as well be a good, _obedient _one."_

_Uh-oh, he knew where this was going. "Kagome, don't-"_

"_Osuwari!"

* * *

_

That had resulted in a pretty nasty bruise on his nose that had, thankfully, healed within minutes. Other than that, the morning had been fairly uneventful and stress-free.

Of course, that _could_ be because Kagome was totally ignoring his existence right now, but it was only a hunch. Besides, he had much more important things to worry about; like getting a legal youkai taijiya license so they didn't get arrested on their search. No doubt several youkai had already gotten to a shard or two and the sheer power had driven them insane.

It would do them no good to kill a rampaging youkai only to be arrested for it. "Baba."

The old woman looked up at the summons.

"Call up Myouga-jiji. I need him to call in some favors for me."

"Hai."

"And don't tell him about this marriage…He spends too much time bothering me about my personal life as it is."

The old miko smiled at this. "Hai."

* * *

Hee…such confusion and funness…Next chapter coming up, right away! Sorry about the HUGE delay in updating lately. That's really just my stupid-ness right there.

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Japanese Words Used: (in order of use)

Taijiya: Slayer, exterminator.

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Ok…I'm going straight to work on the next chapter, and promise to have it out as soon as possible. Pinky swear! Review and tell me what you think, as always!

Much love,

Miji


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